Police name suspect in Sunday shooting death

Authorities search for 25-year-old Erskin Jenkins

Authorities search for 25-year-old Erskin Jenkins

SOUTH BEND Â? Police named a suspect Tuesday in the early Sunday morning shooting death of a 28-year-old South Bend man in a northwest-side gas station parking lot.

Authorities are looking for Erskin Jenkins, 25, in connection with the death of Anwar Â?AnwonÂ? Davis, who was shot about 4:20 a.m. outside an Always Open at 1401 N. Bendix Drive.

Police said they are unsure of JenkinsÂ? whereabouts. His last known address was in the 1200 block of Miner Street in South Bend, Prosecutor Michael Dvorak said.

Police said 20 to 50 people and about 25 vehicles were outside the store at the time of the shooting. Police talked to many witnesses in the past two days before naming Jenkins a suspect.

Several shots were fired at the Always Open before Davis was shot, St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Commander Tim Corbett said. Davis was shot at least once, but the results of his autopsy are still pending.

Authorities are not sure what Davis was doing immediately before being shot. Some reports indicated that Davis was trying to break up a fight, but police said they could not confirm that.

Davis died between 6 and 8 a.m., according to his aunt.

Â?It was a senseless, cowardly act,Â? Corbett said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference at the Metro Homicide headquarters.

Corbett called DavisÂ? death an assassination because of the fact that he wasnÂ?t armed and was not involved in any fighting.

Â?Mr. Jenkins, as far as we can tell, was standing off into the crowd, and he decided to take matters into his own hands and shoot (Davis),Â? Corbett said.

Corbett said Jenkins has Â?bounced around a lotÂ? from place to place. Corbett referred a question about JenkinsÂ? criminal record to county officials, who did not return a phone call on the matter Tuesday afternoon.

Jenkins, who is black, is described as 6-foot-4, 195 pounds with dark skin and was last seen with braided hair. He also has two clown face tattoos on his right arm, Corbett said.

Gurbachan Â?PappuÂ? Singh, manager of Always Open, said there often are large crowds outside his store between 3 and 5 a.m., when the store is closed. He said many people also drink then.

Police reported several incidents at the store this year, including March 27 for a fight in progress and April 2 for a loud party.

Metro Homicide is investigating the shooting. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the unit at (574) 235-5009 or call Crime Stoppers at (574) 288-STOP.